Residents of Boaz will vote Tuesday on whether to legalize alcohol sales in city limits, (Contributed by the City of Boaz)

BOAZ, Alabama - One local woman is "ill" and a man is "embarrassed" following the discovery of forged names on a petition to hold a referendum on the legalized sale of alcohol here.

Tammie Thrasher, who is opposed to legal alcohol sales and whose husband is a deacon at Bethsaida Baptist Church, said she did not sign a petition supporting the referendum and was surprised when her brother-in-law called to tell her it was there.

John Thornton, who circulated the petitions and supports going "wet," said he apologizes for the problem but he feels the referendum has enough support without the names that are being challenged.

The vote will proceed as planned Tuesday during the general election because the ballots are printed and the election set, said City Clerk Jill Bright.

Thrasher said whether or not legal alcohol sales are approved, she will take action following the election because someone illegally signed her name.

"I'm very ill about this," she said. "Whether it's voted to pass or not, I want something done about my name being forged."

Thrasher said she learned of the forged name Tuesday when her brother-in-law picked up a copy of the petition, which is public record, from Boaz City Hall. He knew no one in her family drinks alcohol and would not support the measure, Thrasher said.

Thompson said he placed petitions are local restaurants and businesses and for residents to sign if they supported a vote on legal alcohol sales. Signatures from a percentage of people who voted in the previous municipal election are required to get a referendum on the ballot and, in this case, 665 names were needed. The city clerk must then confirm those who signed are registered voters.

Thompson said he went through the lists himself and highlighted 716 names he verified were on the voters' registration list.

Bright was able to confirm 669 names. "I'm just required to make sure the name on that list shows up on the voter list," she said. She does not have to call and verify each signature.

After Bright confirmed the names, members of Boaz City Council voted to place the measure on the ballot. Because it is a municipal election, residents will vote at the Boaz Recreation Center.

Thrasher said eight people have come forward to say their names were forged but "there's more names than that. If it hadn't been for that this election would not be taking place."

Thompson said he regrets he highlighted some names he should have known were those of residents who would not have signed, such as that of Billy Ray Young.

"I've known him all my life and I let his name slide through," Thompson said. "That's one person I should have known better. It's embarrassing to me."

Thompson said he did not add any names to the list but he did give people lists of names of those who signed the 2010 petition. That referendum was approved then but voters rejected the measure by fewer than 200 votes and Boaz remained dry. The Marshall County towns of Albertville, Guntersville and Arab are wet.

"I had the petitions out in many, many, many different areas," he said. "Some people obviously took some liberty with people's names."

He said he told others who were placed in charge of petition sheets not to add any names to the 2012 list from the 2010 list without calling and verifying the person still wanted to sign.

"The fault lies nowhere but with me," he said. "I do apologize to anybody and everybody whose name was on there that didn't want it on there."

However, Thornton feels the measure should be on the ballot and pointed out that 996 people voted for legal alcohol sales in 2010, when 1,204 voted against it. "The spirit of the petition is to make sure there is enough interest in this issue to bring it to a vote," he said.

Tim Potter said he signed the petition in 2010 but had no intention of signing this year, although his name appears on the list.

"That's not my handwriting or signature," he said. "I sure did not sign it this time. What I did two years ago has nothing to do with it. It's just not right to sign somebody's name. That's illegal."

Potter said he will not vote for legalized alcohol sales Tuesday.

Thrasher contacted Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman, who said if Thrasher determines who signed her name, she can prosecute. She referred Thrasher to the Attorney General's Office for an opinion on the election's validity and was told that nothing can be done until after Tuesday.

Thrasher was advised to send a formal complaint to the Attorney General with signatures of those who said they did not sign the petition. Officials will then make a determination of wrongdoing and decide how to handle election results.